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Unique Bass to stand out

#121
Meet the Jetsons...
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My Ibanez Jet King. The last version before it was discontinued had three pickups.
Here it is when i first brought it home, before it got cleaned up. Plays great, sounds great as well.
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#124
I've had some luck finding older Fender necks then pairing them up with newer bodies and pickups. ... I've decided I prefer 60's and 70's necks, because they're affordable and available, if you hunt them down. ... All vintage instruments are a quest. You find one and it's just okay, then you find another and fall head over heals. ... They're not all the same, like some people think. ...
 
#125
I suggest you have a look into what the lawsuit manufacturers (Electra, Westone, Aria Pro II, Ibanez, et cetera) got into when they had to stop making spot-on copies of Fenders and Gibsons. They've got some distinctive looks and features, they're consistently well-made, and they were never expensive in the first place so they remain affordable for most players now. The one pictured here (Electra X700JB/"Futura") displaced my Thunderbird as my preferred 4-string. I got it inexpensively enough that I can afford to experiment with new pickups and hardware, but other than the mixed-up intonation screws, this one didn't really need any help. For more somewhat more conventional looks and somewhat less conventional electronics, have a look at the Westone Thunder, Pantera, and Spectrum models (including the one that comes with interchangeable fretted and fretless necks!).

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#128
Half of what I own is what’s considered vintage. Find a good model in good condition and they’re every bit as good sounding and playing as anything that’s new IMO. But you may need to be aware of their model specific quirks. And also know something about what you’re looking at. Not everything that’s “vintage” is worth owning. Many times it’s just old. Period.

Are you shooting mainly for looks or more for a specific sound?
 
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#130
Something a little different might be to look into the less pointy BC Riches, like the Mockingbird, Eagle, or Seagull.

If you find one with the classic 2x2 headstock, they're "different" but not neccessarily a pointy metal monstrosity. I know they've been selling Mockingbirds over the last few years with fancy wood veneers on them, if that's your thing, or just find one in a solid colour.

Reasonably priced as long as you don't hunt down one of the old American models with all the switches and fiddly bits.

edit: there's reissued Eagle used on the GC website right now, even.
 
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#131
Hevy T said:
Cool idea! The necks on those tobys are sweet, and they are light as hell! The electronics on the other hand...
Click to expand...
Exactly. I've tried many combinations on that bass and decided a single reverse P was the way to go on a simple passive bass. Added a rotary switch with bypass and 11 caps. I was in a hurry and poly paste job was not good enough. Needs one more pass. I'll fix it-again later. :) I can't find Tobys for cheap anymore. It's a great platform for modding and trying everything possible.
 

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